|
|
| ||
|
Media
Center Main Press Contact: |
AEP News ArchivesThree Industry Pioneers to be Inducted into Educational Publishing Hall of Fame2009 honorees include Nelson Heller, Michael Ross, and Pleasant RowlandLOGAN TWP, NJ--April 2, 2009--The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP), the nonprofit professional association for publishers of supplemental educational materials, is pleased to announce the honorees for its 13th annual Hall of Fame Induction. The class of 2009 includes Nelson Heller, President, EdNET at MDR, and founder and Publisher of the Heller Reports; Michael Ross, Senior Vice President, Education General Manager at Encyclopædia Britannica; and Pleasant Rowland, Founder of Rowland Reading Foundation and American Girl. Induction into the Hall of Fame, educational publishing's highest individual honor, is reserved exclusively for those who have dedicated their careers to the advancement of educational resources and the industry that develops and supports them. This year's inductees all recognized untapped, underappreciated, or underdeveloped areas within the educational product market and addressed these gaps with fresh ideas and innovative solutions. They are also celebrated for giving back to the educational publishing community and to society as a whole. Nelson Heller is known for his pioneering work in connecting educators and publishers through technology. One of the first educational technology strategy officers, he recognized early on how technology could enhance the classroom and helped prepare schools for this future. He also knew that educational publishers needed advice and guidance for meeting the needs of the ed tech market, so he organized conferences, seminars, and newsletters as venues for advancement. Finally, Nelson has been a long-time champion of networking both within and outside the educational publishing arena, encouraging partnerships to advance the industry and ultimately improve the quality of the educational resources produced. Throughout his career, Michael Ross has been an innovator in repurposing and redistributing content for use in homes and classrooms around the world. Recognizing the value of global networking, he has encouraged his own companies--and dozens of others in the industry--to seek out and seize international opportunities by attending book fairs and conferences abroad. By marrying conventional publishing platforms with technology, Michael has proven that publishers can thrive in the digital age. Finally, Michael exemplifies the spirit of the educational publishing community through his leadership and mentorship of those new to the industry. Through her creative approaches to teaching and learning, Pleasant Rowland created not one but two legacies that have helped millions of children discover the joys of reading and generations of young girls develop an interest in and understanding of history. Pleasant developed the Superkids reading program as a young teacher. Frustrated by the resources available to her at the time, she incorporated research from developmental psychologists, reading experts, and education theorists into what would eventually become a landmark phonics-based language arts curriculum. Pleasant blazed another trail when she searched for a way to get young girls engaged in history. American Girl dolls and books combine education with entertainment, a recipe for success which has led to several other lines of dolls, a magazine, a number of retail stores, and, after being acquired by Mattel in 1998, movies. The American Girl brand still thrives today as a way for girls to connect with our nation's history. The 2009 Educational Publishing Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at a December 3 breakfast ceremony at the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York City. For more information on this event, please visit www.AEPweb.org/fame or contact Laura Clarke at 856-241-7772.
About
AEP AEP's thought leadership and market insight have created ground-breaking opportunities for its members to collaborate, network, and partner with each other as well as to acquire a voice in the development of government education policy. Founded in 1895, AEP now assists its members in navigating the global realities of educational publishing in the 21st Century. For more information, please visit www.AEPweb.org. | ||
|
© 2011 The Association of
Educational Publishers | |||
